Sandslash

PVE Movesets Grades

Quick	Charge	ATK	DEF
Mud Shot	Earthquake	A	X
Mud Shot	Bulldoze	A	C-
Metal Claw	Earthquake	B	X
Metal Claw	Bulldoze	B	B-
Metal Claw	Rock Tomb	X	B
Mud Shot	Night Slash*	X	B
Metal Claw	Night Slash*	X	A

Quick	Charge	ATK	DEF
Mud Shot	Rock Tomb	X	C

PVE Offensive Moves Explanation

• Mud Shot is superior to Metal Claw for STAB and general type effectiveness.

• Bulldoze is slightly superior to Earthquake for weave DPS, but both are optimal for Sandslash.

• Rock Tomb is a poor move in itself and lacks STAB or synergy with Sandslash’s Fast Moves.

• Night Slash has no offensive use. 

PVE Defensive Moves Explanation

• Metal Claw has slightly better defensive DPS than Mud Shot.

• All of Sandslash’s charge moves are easily reactable, but Rock Tomb at least has coverage against some Sandslash counters.

• Night Slash can be spammed frequently on defense, and is less likely to be resisted by Grass, Water, or Ice Pokemon. 

• Bulldoze is superior to Earthquake for the lower energy cost.

PVE Overview

PVP Movesets Grades

Quick	Charge	ATK
Mud Shot	Scorching Sands Rock Tomb	A
Mud Shot	Night Slash* Scorching Sands	A

PvP Moveset Explanation

Mud Shot + Scorching Sands and Rock Tomb or Night Slash*

Mud Shot is Sandslash's best fast move by far. While its damage output is far from impressive, its incredible energy generation gives it the best chance of leveraging its expensive Charged Moves.

Scorching Sands and Rock Tomb combine to maximize Sandslash's coverage, and while Rock Tomb isn't a very good move, it's at least better than Bulldoze. The addition of Night Slash* following the Sandshrew Community Day in March 2022 is an interesting but somewhat unimpressive one. Dark-type coverage doesn't solve Sandslash's problems, but at least its low energy cost enables faster shield pressure and baiting. Earthquake has the advantage of hitting very hard if not shielded, but its DPS (Damage per Energy) isn't too far above Scorching Sands, which has lower energy cost as well.

PvP Rating Explanation

Great League: 1 / 5

Sandslash? More like Sadslash. Heavily outclassed by other Ground-types (especially Galarian Stunfisk, which has access to Rock Slide over Rock Tomb), Sandslash just isn't worth using. Its new Community Day move Night Slash makes it easier to pressure shields, but isn't enough for Sandslash to challenge most of the meta. 

Ultra League: 1 / 5

Same story as above, but add even more relevant Pokémon that can do the same thing.

Master League: 0 / 5

Sandslash is basically a harmless, infant version of Groudon in the Master League.

Fast Moves

8

Metal Claw

More Info

Steel

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	EPU	DPS	DPS w/STAB	True DPS
0.70	0.20	10.00		11.43	14.29

5

Mud Shot

More Info

Ground

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	EPU	DPS	DPS w/STAB	True DPS
0.60	0.20	11.67		8.33	10.42

Charge Moves

80

Bulldoze

2 Energy

More Info

Ground

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
3.50	0.50	0.00	1.60	22.86	28.57		36.57

140

Earthquake

1 Energy

More Info

Ground

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
3.60	0.80	0.00	1.40	38.89	48.61		54.44

70

Rock Tomb

2 Energy

More Info

Rock

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
3.20	0.75	0.00	1.40	21.88	27.34		30.63

95

Scorching Sands

2 Energy

More Info

Ground

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
3.20	0.90	0.00	1.90	29.69	37.11		56.41

Elite Charge Moves

50

Night Slash

3 Energy

More Info

Dark

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
2.20	0.70	0.00	1.52	22.73	28.41		34.44

Purified Charge Moves

35

Return

3 Energy

More Info

Normal

.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
0.70	0.25	0.00	1.06	50.00	62.50		53.03

Purification Cost

Pokemon Type Chart

Vulnerable

	160% damage
	160% damage
	160% damage

Resistant

	39.1% damage
	62.5% damage
	62.5% damage

Raid Boss Catch Rate

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